Lounging by the pool – one of Australia’s favourite pastimes. If you are lucky enough to have a pool (or have a friend or family member’s pool that you spend a lot of time in) what’s your favourite way to lounge?
Here, we discuss five classic styles of poolside lounging – to help you identify your style, and the best outdoor furniture for you to maximise your summer moments.
Tribu Natal Alu Sofa, Tao Coffee Table, Natal Alu X Side Table, Loft Outdoor Rug
Choosing outdoor furniture for your poolside to make the most of these moments needs to reflect how you like to spend your time. No use getting a lounge chair if all you want to do is lie down and close your eyes. You’ll be lying on the tiles or concrete, which is fine if you’re under 25 and feel no pain.
In combination with finding your style, poolside furniture needs to be resilient: UV resistant, mould & mildew resistant, and able to be splashed with lots of water! Cosh Living have you covered in durable outdoor furniture, all the styles we sell are tried and tested in the elements. So let us focus on the resiliency, and you focus on the lounging!
1: The Classic Lounger
You like to take a dip, dry off and relax by lying down. You have a few favourite poolside activities – reading a good book, doing a little sunbathing (with plenty of SPF!) and lying beside a loved one to catch up while kids splash in the pool.
Calm Sun Lounge and Drops Side Tables. Project by Laguna Pools.
Essentials For You
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Sun Lounger: Whichever activity you’re doing, you will need an adjustable lounger, that lets you change the recline from completely flat, to sitting up – and everything in between. If you like to chase the afternoon sun, best get one with wheels included on the base, for ease of moving it around.
Side Table: For your book, sunscreen, bottle of water – you’re going to need a side table to keep them close.
Umbrella: After some sun, you’ll need a good outdoor umbrella to give your skin a rest. A simple centre pole on wheels can be all you need – but if your backyard gets a lot of sun – maybe consider a cantilever umbrella for more coverage.
Cosh Living Picks:
1. Caractere Side Pole Umbrella 2. Calm Lounger 3. Drops Side Table
Extra luxury tip: Level up your sun lounges up by adding an outdoor cushion. Choose from a huge range of outdoor sunbrella fabrics to suit your colour palette, and add additional comfort. Check out the available outdoor fabrics here.
2: The Ultimate Relaxation Lounger
Maybe you swim, maybe you don’t – it’s all about the leisure. You are focused on comfort. You wish that you could take your bed, and put it outside and curl up with a book or take a nap with the afternoon breeze washing over you.
Mood Daybed and Nomad Ottomans
Essentials For You
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Daybed: Luckily, you can have an outdoor bed sit by the pool. It’s called a daybed, weatherproof, generous in size and generous in comfort. Choose cushions in varying sizes – so sitting or lying down, you have the perfect setup. A daybed can usually fit a few people, so you can share the comfort together.
Side Table: Looks like you might be there for a while. Use a side table for refreshments, sunscreen refills and snacks.
Cosh Living Picks:
1. Mood Daybed 2. Blow Side Table
Extra luxury tip: Add an umbrella for shade, so you can drift off without the worry of getting too much sun. We love the Caractere Side Pole Umbrella.
3: The Entertaining Lounger
Being poolside for you is all about being with others. Pool parties, summer nights with the family, swims on Christmas day – your poolside furniture setup has got to host a crowd.
Forrest Lounge Chairs, Forrest Sofas, Forrest Coffee Tables & Side Tables.
Essentials For You
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Outdoor Sofa: An outdoor sofa is perfect for gathering together. Modular styles with a chaise allow someone to lie down too, while others sit and chat. Did someone just sit down after a swim still wet? No problem, this sofa is built to get wet!
Lounge Chair: The outdoor lounge chair is great for one person to have a bit of space to themselves, whether that’s a grandmother who doesn’t want a wet grandchild dripping on her after climbing out of the pool, or the host of the party, sitting back to enjoy their spread.
Coffee Table: Every good gathering has a spread of food & drinks – but these need to be kept away from the ants! An outdoor coffee table is essential, and will become the centrepiece of most poolside parties.
Cosh Living Picks:
1. Forrest Sofa 2. Forrest Lounge Chair 3. Forrest Coffee Table
Extra luxury tip: Add some mood lighting as the sun slips beyond the horizon. Portable outdoor lanterns use LED lights, and are safe to use by the pool. Charge them up and get ready for the light to dance on the water. We love the Cocoon Lantern and The Others Lanterns.
4. The Flexible Lounger
Life by the pool for you is hanging out with the kids. Pool toys, splashing water, screeches of delight – this is your type of poolside. You want to lounge around with the kids without fuss, and not worry about them climbing on your new pieces. The outdoor furniture needs to be wherever the kids feel like sitting on that day – sun, shade, or even the shallow end.
XL Outdoor Beanbags and Marine Bean Ottoman
Essentials For You
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Outdoor Beanbag Chairs: Outdoor beanbags are great for kids – soft, resilient, and able to be dragged to wherever they need them at the time. Cosy to fall into after a swim, and easy to pack away when not in use. For you? Try a beanbag lounger to stretch out in, all the comfort of a beanbag without the difficulty of getting in and out.
Ottomans: Outdoor ottomans or footstools can be used as extra seating or as coffee tables for food and drinks.
Cosh Living Picks:
1. Isla Beanbag Lounger 2. XL Outdoor Beanbag 3. Nomad Ottomans
Extra luxury tip: Add an outdoor rug by the pool. If you want to play with toys or lie in the sun, you’ve got a comfortable place to do it. We love the Loft Outdoor Rug.
5. The Simple Lounger
You like things simple. A swim in the pool, and a seat by the water. You don’t need to lie down, you like to sit in a comfortable chair with a drink, and dry off.
Tosca Outdoor Lounge Chair, Tosca Coffee Table
Essentials For You
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Lounge Chair: A lounge chair is lower and wider than a dining chair, allowing you to relax but still able to sit up and enjoy the view. Add comfort with outdoor upholstery and a scatter cushion for lumbar support and a touch of colour.
Coffee or Side table: For a magazine and a drink at arm’s reach.
Cosh Living Picks:
1. Tosca Club Chair 2. Tosca Coffee Table
Extra luxury tip: Add an outdoor footstool. Get those feet up off the ground and take your lounging to the next level. We love the Nomad Ottoman.
No matter what your style is, you want to keep your poolside furniture looking fantastic.
Make sure to take care of it – even though it’s outdoor furniture, you need to give it a little TLC. Hose it down after splashy afternoons, or a windy week. It’s important to wash off the chlorine (or salt if you’re near the ocean) from cushions and frames.
If you’re not using your furniture during winter, hose the cushions down, wait for them to dry and store in a place protected from the elements. If you do this, you will get a much longer life out of the amazing items that you have brought into your home.
Want more tips and info on choosing the right outdoor furniture? Follow us on Instagram @coshliving or visit your local Cosh Living showroom.